User-created list
Luminous Names
Across 19 pages
of 19
Uri
Hebrew
"my flame, my light"
This short but strong name, commonly heard in Israel, has a lot of crossover potential, and is among the most usable on the minuscule menu of U names. The are two Uris in the Old Testament--the…
Valo
Finnish; Malagasy
"light"
Really offbeat, upbeat multi-cultural name with light sound and meaning. Valo might make a more unique spin on Milo.
Vesper
Latin
"evening star"
While this is usually thought of as a girls' name because of the Bond Girl connection, its sound is masculine and there's no reason it couldn't work for boys.
Walken
Australian Aboriginal
"rainbow"
One of the few rainbow names that is masculine, Walken is a Noongar Aboriginal word.
Yu
Chinese
"universe"
Yu the Great founded China's first dynasty and the name went on to become one of the most popular boy names in its native country during the 2000s. In more recent years, it has been used as an…
Ziri
Tamazight and Berber
"moonlight"
Masculine short form of the Berber name Tiziri, meaning "moonlight" in Tamazight.
Zohar
Hebrew
"light, brilliance"
Though this name is used for both boys and girls in Israel, in the U.S. it sounds decidedly masculine, with Zohara the feminine form. Has a futuristic macho feel.
Zunair
Urdu
"moonlight"
A strong and striking Urdu name found especially in Pakistan, with a wonderfully evocative meaning.
Caelus
Latin
"sky; heavens"
In Roman mythology, Caelus was the god of the sky prior to Jupiter. It's one of the few names that's virtually one-of-a-kind yet fits in with current stylish choices such as Caius and Callum (neither…
Caelum
Latin
"heaven"
A constellation name that could have broad appeal beyond astronomers and astrophysicists, Caelum blends the sounds of Scottish Callum and modern Caden. It comes from the Latin caelum meaning "heaven,…
Celestin
French
"heavenly"
You may be familiar with Celeste, but have you considered this beautiful choice for a boy, currently highly fashionable in France, derived from Latin Caelestis ("of the sky; heavenly").
Celio
Latin
"belonging to heaven"
A welcoming name that seems to say "hello". Celio can be thought of as a much rarer male variation of Celia. With heavenly names in the ascendant, we may be hearing lots more of Celio.
Dion
Diminutive of Dionysius, Greek
"child of heaven and earth; of Zeus"
A variation of Greek Dionysius, itself derived from the name of the god of wine, revelry, and dance, Dion gives a nod to mythology while also having historical ties to a student of Plato, to a Greek…
Thien
Vietnamese
"sky, heaven"
Also spelled Thiên in Vietnamese, this is the middle name of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's son Pax, adopted from Vietnam in 2007.
Adaluna
Variation of Ada and Luna, German and Latin
"noble moon"
Adaluna is the ultra-stylish smoosh name that nobody's caught onto yet. It's a one-of-a-kind compromise if you're deciding between Ada or Adeline and Luna. But despite its modern appearance, Adaluna…
Aelia
Roman
"sun"
This little-known Ancient Roman name might make a fresh spin on the popular Ella, Ayla, Isla contingent. The "ae" is pronounced "ee" (think Aesop's fables). The Annals of Aeliana is a children's…
Aelin
Literary name, possibly inspired by Turkish or Irish
"moon, light or desired"
This character name from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas has an ancient appeal, even though it seems to be a modern coinage. It may have been inspired by similar sounding names, like the…
Ailana
Kazakh
"moonlight"
A pretty Kazakh name derived from Turkish ayla , meaning "moonlight". The Hawaiian name 'Ailana (with the 'okina mark) means "loving".
Aili
Finnish and Sami variation of Helga, diminutive of Aileen, Anglicization of Eilidh
"holy, blessed; bright and shining light"
An attractive Scandinavian take on Helga, or a potential Helen nickname.
Alcmene
Greek mythology
"strength and power of the moon"
In Greek mythology Alcmene was mother of Herakles by Zeus, who tricked her by disguising himself as her absent husband. The name has the evocative meaning "strength and power of the moon", made from…